"Hindi ako epal... I need to save lives now." Senatorial candidate @DocWillieOng says his #Halalan2019 senatorial bid will be his last attempt to enter politics. #Talkback #ANCRecap pic.twitter.com/N4u22XcQf2

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) May 20, 2019

Losing senatorial aspirant Dr. Willie Ong has reflected on his failed bid for a Senate seat, saying he endured bashing and "fake news" during the campaign season.

On ANC's "Talkback," Ong said unlike other candidates, he did not have political connections and secured no endorsements.

"I do not know any politicians, so I was not in their sample ballots. The command votes from the mayors, would account for say, 30, 40 percent. That's millions of votes. I did not have all of that. I had no endorsements from politicians, and we only spent P581,000," Ong said.

He ranked 18th in the senatorial polls, receiving over 7.4 million votes.

"I was prepared to lose, but always at the back of my mind, if a few factors changed, I could have won," Ong said.

Ong said despite losing in the midterm elections, he will continue helping the poor even without a Senate seat.

"Hindi ako epal eh. I don't wait three years in order to run and run again. Right now, my patients cannot wait three years. Some will die soon. So in a few days, in a few weeks, whenever God opens a door, maybe it's a corporation who will get me, maybe it's a TV show, maybe a politician I've met will get me to help them in their city, I'll do it. I need to save lives now. So I'm thinking what I can do now," he explained.

Ong said he wanted to be part of the Senate so he can help more people.

"I can only help hundreds of patients, but in the Senate, I can help millions," he said.